Born Nikos Georgiadis in Famagusta, he was a journalist, publisher, politician, a fighter and member of EOKA.
Upon joining EOKA under the nom de guerre “Atrotos” during the struggle to throw off British colonial rule of the island, he was a major figure in a group who targeted enemies of Cyprus, including being involved in the killing of numerous British military personnel.
In 1957, he was arrested by the British and sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment and was taken to the UK to serve this term. Upon the independence of Cyprus in 1960, he was released and sent back to Cyprus as per the agreement.
The British embarrassment of being outpointed by a relatively small but lethal EOKA force, set in motion their plans of using the minority Turkish population of Cyprus against the majority Greeks.
As a result, Sampson and many others, resumed their attacks during the 1960s, against both the British and Turks, which sparked significant clashes on the island.
By 1970, he had formed his own political party and was elected into Parliament in Cyprus.
Due to his role in EOKA-B and the crisis which followed, which saw him installed as President for a week in 1974 at the behest of the Greek Military junta, he is seen by some as a divisive and controversial figure in Cyprus, he nevertheless was an ardent believer in Enosis and for the Greeks of Cyprus, to be able to make their own decisions, for their future and for their island.
He died in 2001.
